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Economics and Social Sciences:
A multitude of career opportunities

If you're interested in studying Economics or Social Sciences, you should have a strong background in Mathematics and Statistics. Internationality is extremely important in the field of Economics. As an economist, international experience can play a decisive role when applying for jobs. As a social scientist, you should possess a fair amount of methodical competence.

Diverse range of degree programmes

The spectrum of degree programmes in Economics has steadily broadened in recent years. In addition to the “classical” subjects of Macroeconomics, Economics and Business Administration, universities are now offering new subjects like Trade and Service Management, International Sales and Marketing, and Supply Chain Management. Other related programmes specialise in certain branches, such as sport, tourism, healthcare and media. Interdisciplinary degree programmes, like Economic Law and Economic Psychology, focus on the interplay between various disciplines.

Internationality is crucial in an Economics degree programme. You will be expected to address international issues, learn foreign languages and complete foreign internships and study visits.

Requirements

The following skills are necessary for studying Economics and Social Sciences:

Good German language skills

Good English language skills

Interest in explaining and shaping economic and social processes

Analytical skills

Basic IT skills

Sufficient knowledge of mathematics and statistics

The Mathematics courses and examinations in the beginning semesters are often “stumbling blocks” for many students – in other words, they're surprisingly difficult.

Career prospects and salaries

There are diverse career opportunities available to Economics and Social Science graduates. Every larger-sized company employs business administrators. According to the German Federal Employment Agency (BA), an education in these fields qualifies you for both operative and strategic tasks: “They work as specialists in the areas of sales, marketing, logistics, controlling, financing and accounting, bookkeeping and human resources. You also have good chances to be hired for executive, departmental or project management positions, as well as assistant positions to the management or board of directors.

Economics

As an economist, the amount of international experience you've gained often plays a decisive role. More and more small to medium-sized companies are becoming internationally networked and rely on their employees' foreign language abilities. Soft skills are very important, e.g. rhetoric, presentation techniques, negotiation management and organisational methods. You can acquire these additional skills during your studies, for example, in non-curricular activities, such as volunteer work.”

Social sciences

As with all the humanities, there is no one traditional occupation for social scientists. That can make entering the workforce a little trickier. But with self-initiative, you can get your foot in the door in a wide range of branches and corporate areas. As a social scientist, you should have strong methodical competence. This applies to quantitative methods which have gained increasing significance in recent years. With such skills, you have good chances of finding employment in the field of marketing and public opinion research.